View Full Version : Wigsley
Made a trip up to a very grey and murky RAF Wigsley today and found very little remaining although the excellent three storey control tower (been wanting to photograph this for years!!) more than made up for it!
Wigsley had Hampdens, Lancasters and Manchesters flying out of here during it's war time days and Vampires and Meteors during the 1950's.
The Control Tower
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371290.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371291.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371292.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371294.jpg
I love the way misty conditions always add to the atmosphere on old airfields
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371313.jpg
Some views inside the tower
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371306.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371299.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371302.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371303.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371307.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371304.jpg
Ha Ha!! I might have guessed you would have found some more hidden treasures elsewhere Noel :D
Heres some more pics i took on some farm land down the road from the tower. Many thanks to the very helpful landowner who showed me around.
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371320.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371314.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371321.jpg
Inside the old operations block & interrogation centre -
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371317.jpg
Amazingly..these are apparently some of the original seats from the airfields cinema..
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371318.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371319.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371315.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371316.jpg
..and of course the toilet block...quite a few of these are still standing around Wigsley.
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371325.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL371311.jpg
Cheers,
Steve
:)
PETERTHEEATER
10-01-2009, 10:11
Yep. Those look like genuine RAF ASTRA cinema seats. Designed by the Spanish Inquisition!
Excellent photos Stevie, especially the interiors. Must go back there sometime soon as there's a bit more to Wigsley than the tower. Most of my photos are generally "over the hedge" long shots.
Worth remembering the Stirlings of 1654 HCU. One of these aircraft, Stirling III LJ682, met an undignified (and luckily for the crew, non-fatal) end in the Derbyshire Peak District on Margery Hill. Sections of the wreck were recovered in 2005 by members of 'The Stirling Project'. Some parts, I think, are now with the RAF Museum reserve collection.
Chris
Hawkeye001
10-01-2009, 18:18
My Grandfather has worked for the famer that owns the land so atleast in the future we have a point of contact as well.
Nice one Warren. There was a hell of a lot of farm work going on whilst i was there out on the airfield. Very busy.
Thanks Rich. I agree about the tower.
I'm intrigued to know how many towers of that design were actually built and how many still survive. There can't have been many. Also why are they so much bigger than the more traditional two storey building.
....and why at Wigsley???
Okay!! okay!!...i think that enough questions for one day!! :lol: :lol:
Cheers
Steve
norwichpaul
10-01-2009, 20:03
The only one of your questions that I can answer is the first, its unique and I cannot explain why the airfield should have such a tower block of a CT. Perhaps the local Clerk of Works had a secret stash of whisky and was pissed out of his head when he drew the final plans up. The drawing starting off as a bomber sat watch office but with each sip, so the building grew, firstly lengthways then when he got bored with that, more floors were added until the CT was actually larger than the whole of the tech site! Or something like that. The name Ronan Point springs to mind, was Wigsley built by Taylor Woodrow by any chance? Maybe they got the idea from their wartime experiences at Wigsley?
PETERTHEEATER
11-01-2009, 08:17
Cheers Chris,
Funnily enough the farmer who let me wonder around his buildings mentioned that Stirling crash and it's recovery.
I think another trip up there may be a good idea at some point for me also. I've since learnt that the old bomb stores still survive in the Wigsley woods. Didn't have time to venture up there as i wanted to visit Winthorpe and Syerston as well before it got dark.
The bomb store was located in a wooded area which was not suitable for post-war agricultural development so there should be significant remains. Looking on Google Earth, part of the site has pond areas as if some gravel extraction has taken place.
Here are some surviving structures in the northern part of the Bomb Store area:
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.22197 ... =0&src=msa (http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.221979&lon=-0.725514&z=19.3&r=0&src=msa)
This is an HE Bomb Store. Probably AM Drawing 3164/42:
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.21971 ... =0&src=msa (http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.219712&lon=-0.72665&z=17&r=0&src=msa)
And another:
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.22058 ... =0&src=msa (http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.220585&lon=-0.724175&z=17&r=0&src=msa)
There would have been 3 to 4 HE Bomb Stores but I can only plot two with certainty.
Wesleybob
11-01-2009, 11:29
Excellent photos Stevie, especially the interiors. Must go back there sometime soon as there's a bit more to Wigsley than the tower. Most of my photos are generally "over the hedge" long shots.
Worth remembering the Stirlings of 1654 HCU. One of these aircraft, Stirling III LJ682, met an undignified (and luckily for the crew, non-fatal) end in the Derbyshire Peak District on Margery Hill. Sections of the wreck were recovered in 2005 by members of 'The Stirling Project'. Some parts, I think, are now with the RAF Museum reserve collection.
Chris
Great photos. thanks Stevie.
My Dad was at Wigsley in August 1944 as a trainee Flight Engineer so it was good for me to get a glimpse of the place.
Dad flew with 1654 HCU throughout August '44 in various aircraft all with the squadron prefix UG. Would these aircraft have been Stirlings? Seems strange to be training on Stirlings as his next course was at the Lancaster Finishing school Syerston, and he was destined to fly in Lancasters with 9 Squadron.
Looking at his logbook, it seems his future crew may have been formed there. Was that normal practice, or would 'crewing up' have occurred at an operational Squadron?
canberra
11-01-2009, 11:45
Crewing up was done at the HCU. As a flight engineer your dad would have done very little flying before he got to the HCU thats why he probably flew in so many different types.
RAF Thornaby had an unknown (possibly unique) tower design to drawing number TY1214.
;)
norwichpaul
18-01-2009, 09:13
Stevo I always thought (when I saw a photo) it was similar to Manby and therefore not unique though the drawing number only represents that at Thornaby.
Would appreciate it Chris. Cheers.
There must have been other airfields out there that had the same tower block style building design. Im sure Wigsley isn't exclusively the only one! (or maybe it is!!!!!)
Steve
Steve, Wigsley's tower is to drawing number WIG/20 & WIG/1221. NJR and self were chatting to one of the locals about it whilst there and it seems that several years ago, there were plans to turn it into a restaurant.
Chris
P Bellamy
18-01-2009, 15:36
Here's a quick and nasty comparison between the Wigsley, Manby and Thornaby Towers.
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k227/ramc181/WMTTowers.jpg
(From the photos of Thornaby's tower I've guesstimated it to be about 30' x 20')
PB
A few to compliment Stevies recent Wigsley photos.
Tech Site Sub-Station (11274/41)
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm29/222sqn/DSC_3893.jpg
Operations & Interrogation Block (228/43), rear
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm29/222sqn/DSC_3994.jpg
Operations & Interrogation Block (228/43), interior
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm29/222sqn/DSC_3966.jpg
Operations & Interrogation Block (228/43), interior - PBX room
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm29/222sqn/DSC_3989.jpg
Site No 3 Picket Post (585/41)
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm29/222sqn/DSC_3996.jpg
17/01/09
Chris
Simon - they're on Communal Site No. 2. The brick towers are original but the "Nissen-types" are newer builds, though they're pretty much located on the concrete bases of the previously existing wartime buildings.
Chris
The tower area is a bit of a mess nowadays, a meeting place for the local misunderstood youth who have no other facilities!
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t145/ryan7480_bucket/WigsleySaturday17thJanuary2009030.jpg
NJR
airfields man
28-05-2009, 00:33
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e82/airfieldsman/window-155.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e82/airfieldsman/window0001-119.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e82/airfieldsman/window0002-104.jpg
I took these photographs in 1999. From one of the people I used to call on in Lincoln a young chap working for him told me that he was responsible for some of the early graffiti.
It's nice to see that the tower hasn't changed to much on the outside over the years looking at airfields mans pics from 1999. It's a different story on the inside though. Heres a few pics i took a couple of weekends ago in gorgeous sunshine which was in total contrast to the bleakness of the pics i took at the beginning of this Wigsley thread back in the dark depths of january.
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372312.jpg
Below:Not that it's that obvious but hidden amongst the undergrowth is the remains of the signal square -
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372308.jpg
Below: Some more views from inside.
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372326.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372323.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372327.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372319.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372316.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372313.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372325.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372314.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372324.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372322.jpg
and back outside again -
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372329.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/SL372311.jpg
Cheers,
Steve
woodster
24-02-2010, 11:01
http://i579.photobucket.com/albums/ss234/woody_photo/24-02-2010105447.jpg Wigsley tower in 1979
woodster
24-02-2010, 11:03
http://i579.photobucket.com/albums/ss234/woody_photo/24-02-2010105827.jpg the only thing written on the tower wall in 1979 was this,shame that it could not have been left!
airfields man
28-02-2010, 21:10
The young chap that I earlier mentioned being responsible for some of the graffiti on this tower has the honour of being the second nephew of Paddy Finucane.
Hawkeye001
28-04-2010, 14:45
Here is one or two pics from the dispersed sites :
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07057.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07060.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07062.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07066.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07066.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07068.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07077.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07078.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07083.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07045.jpg
Enjoy!!!
Regards,
HawkEye001
Hawkeye001
28-04-2010, 15:50
Here are a couple more:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07048.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07086.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/Hawkeye001/Assortment/DSC07092.jpg
HawkEye001
Woody483
28-01-2012, 14:05
Thanks to Hawkeye for a Saturday morning sunny walk around Wigsley and to check out his find on Google Earth hidden away in the trees - the 25 yard range. Couple of 303 cases that were found were dated 1944.76127611
I didn't realise the Gun Butts were still standing at Wigsley. Nice pics.
http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm?lat=53.22029572282114&lon=-0.7231235504150391&gz=18&oz=8>=1
Woody483
29-01-2012, 10:58
Couple more yesterday..761676177618
Here's another old photo i'm posting on behalf of Bomber from his awesome collection. Photos of the one time runway at Wigsley must be extremely rare so many thanks for sharing this mate -
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/spinback/Airfields%202/Wigsley1.jpg
(Photo taken and sent to me by Alan Wood)
Dusk view of the tower, Feb 2012
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t145/ryan7480_bucket/WigsleyTues28thFeb201213.jpg
Ossington_2008
01-08-2012, 10:47
Recent flyby:
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo322/Ossington_2008/176.jpg
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo322/Ossington_2008/180.jpg
Nice shots there Ossington. Suprisingley it is still quite easy to make out the lines of the runways & other feature in the land scape .
Regards ,
Bomber .;-)
P Bellamy
29-08-2012, 20:05
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e82/airfieldsman/window-155.jpg
The different brickwork and the position of the wall/roof lines, small windows and the doorway in the lower left quarter of this photo have been niggling me for some time, until I remembered where I'd seen something pretty much identical before.
The "back" end of the Watch Office with Operations Room, Type B, 7345/41, also has the same features, the scars of the missing walls appearing to be inset would match the thickened walls of the Ops Room for example.
Not having visited the site myself, rough measurements from GE show the dimensions to be about right too.
So with that in mind, here's a hypothetical sequence of building alterations to get from the 7345/41 to what Wigsley ended up with...
Basic structure to 7345/41:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k227/ramc181/WWOT-1.jpg
Addition of first floor along the lines of Control Room 4170/43 but with fewer windows:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k227/ramc181/WWOT-2.jpg
Addition of smaller second storey along the lines of Observation Room 13079/41:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k227/ramc181/WWOT-3a.jpg
Finally, a full-height rebuilding over the original Watch Office end of the structure:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k227/ramc181/WWOT-4.jpg
As I say, it's just a theory, so thoughts and comments always welcome. ;)
All the best,
PB
ianbache
29-08-2012, 20:20
certainly looks feasible PB now you have broke it down into sections, looks about right
Regards Ian
That tower is certainly a conundrum and it's the best theory so far. The building itself has its own drawing number WIG/20, suggesting a local design, but no known drawing exists. Certainly unique!
Cheers for the ideas though. Best get some drawings ordered...
Chris
Some interiors from 2006. Someone has had it away with the window frames since these were taken and much of the graffiti on the top floor control room has, for some reason, been whitewashed out (literally!). Tigger may have some photos from 28/08/12 as I didn't bother taking the camera inside.
Ground floor
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm29/222sqn/P1010122.jpg
Ground floor corridor
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm29/222sqn/P1010120.jpg
Top floor flying control room. Note especially the angled window recesses, concrete rendered. All of the others are just plain 'squared off'
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm29/222sqn/P1010131.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm29/222sqn/P1010130.jpg
Chris
Ossington_2008
30-08-2012, 08:24
Nice calculatin' Paul. There's a measured drawing of this tower in the Dec 2007 issue of AR by Allan M Waddington if it helps. From earlier this year, sorry it's upsun:
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo322/Ossington_2008/344.jpg
This is what appeared in AR117, December 2007 regarding Wigsley.
COPYRIGHT - Airfield Research Group
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NOTTINGHAMSHIRE/Wigsley/AR117Wigsley1.jpg
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/NOTTINGHAMSHIRE/Wigsley/AR117Wigsley2.jpg
I will dig out some internal photos I took in 2009 when I get 5 mins
Thanks Rich. It's missing the pitched roof section (concrete base remains) and the 'lean-to' (from the porch wall towards the road) which appeared to cover a motor plinth, but is a huge help.
There are some photos I took on tuesday (PB has already seen them) at: http://photobucket.com/wigsley
I won't add them to the thread as many just duplicate others that are already on here. Internally it is obvious the tower was built in several stages and the development stages put forward by PB fits quite well with what is seen on site. Other photographs on the internet appear to show a flat-roofed rectangular room and a blast wall on the 'road' end but the evidence on the wall is of a pitched roof. There is the remains of lead flashing and tie-ins visible in an inverted 'V' consistent with the height of a 7345/41. The concrete base and brick impressions in this area suggest one large room and possibly a WC next to an entrance corridor. It needs cleaning of grass to get a better picture of what was there though.
PETERTHEEATER
09-10-2012, 08:04
Trying to tidy up loose ends I now find that there is (was?) the remains of a Pyrotechnic & Incendiary Bomb Store in Wigsley Wood. It can be seen in GE 'rollback' to 09/07/2004 viz:
http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l366/PRACHUAP/WigsleyPyroIBSqueryGE09JUL2004.jpg
http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm?lat=53.222645959738884&lon=-0.7231664657592773&gz=20&oz=7>=1
This type of store was standard on the early war bomb store layout 1940 so it looks as if, in common with it's sister airfields such as Ossington and Winthorpe that there were two bomb stores, the original and supplementary (1942).
Does anyone have an RSP to confirm this?
Ossington_2008
09-10-2012, 08:46
As it happens:
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo322/Ossington_2008/WigsBDbest.jpg
(Plan canted to bring N to the top) building 223 is listed as a 18185/40.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo322/Ossington_2008/172.jpg
More recent view of the general area.
PETERTHEEATER
09-10-2012, 09:14
Your a good man Ossie and that is why I mentioned your pseudonym in my post......
....such as Ossington and Winthorpe.....
That's exactly what I expected, the Pyro & IB Store, and a group of 5416/40 HE Stores Type C one of which has been converted to a later pattern Incendiary Bomb Store, probably 4780/42 Type C
Thanks.
Ossington_2008
09-10-2012, 10:15
Just for you:
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo322/Ossington_2008/WigsBDschedule.jpg
I feel that I'm as detail obsessed as anyone who posts on this forum regularly, but I've never been fluent in these accursed drawing numbers! You, Carnaby and Able Mabel just seem to reel them off in conversation. I appreciate it's handy to "know someone who knows" but to me, bomb dumps come in three flavours, "chocolate block," "knuckle duster" and "loop."
You've got me wondering about number 224 now.
PETERTHEEATER
09-10-2012, 10:54
Thanks Ossie, AM Drawing Numbers for munitions storage buildings are just something that I track. The reality is that if you look at a surviving structure in a bomb store such as a Temporary Brick building and try to guess its function you (and I) would probably be wrong. There are multiple drawings for the same function building and they all look the same, just different drawing dates. I think that as airfields were built, an earlier drawing if suitable was just given a new number/date.
But, of course, what is on the drawing is not always what was built! Look at the southern most HE BS in Wigsley. It is at a different angle to the drawing indication that the constructors had to change the line to skirt a ground feature.
Ossington_2008
09-10-2012, 11:30
Y'know, I never noticed that! This post war OS plan shows the loop angled differently...
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo322/Ossington_2008/WigsBDOSplan.jpg
It's 1130! I really must get away from this computer, the suns shining!
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